Today Friday Saturday High: 55 High: 55 High: 51 Low:35 Low: 39 Low: 37 Precip: 0% Precip: 10% Precip: 30% IN BRIEF Senate allocates nearly $2,000 in surplus funds The ASUO Student Senate ap proved $1,883 in surplus requests for several groups Wednesday night, including funds for the Black Amer ican Law Student Association and the Collegiate Music Educators | National Conference. The Senate unanimously granted $950 to BALSA for group members to attend a regional conference in Seat tle from Feb. 17-20. Senators voted 7-5-1 to approve $833 for CMENC for the group’s six member executive board to attend a regional conference, despite ques tions from some senators about whether it was appropriate to send only group officials elected last year. The Student Association for Women in Architecture, a new stu dent group, received $100 for its first major event. The Senate currently has $36,456 in surplus funds. Also at the meeting, the Senate unanimously approved the ASUO Ex ecutive’s appointment of political sci ence major Barett Volkmann to Sen ate Seat 14, which was formerly held by Rodrigo Moreno-Villamar. — Parker Howell Human rights lawyer to discuss Haitian democracy A human rights lawyer and activist will discuss democracy in Haiti at 5:15 p.m. today in room 110 of the Knight Law Center. r Brian Concannon Jr., director of the Institute for Justice and Democra cy in Haiti, will give a lecture titled “Justice and Human Rights in Haiti After the Coup.” According to a press release, the session will focus on the successes and challenges of democracy in Haiti and declining human rights condi tions since the regime changed last year. These topics will be discussed within the context of the country’s historical struggle for self-determina tion as well as U.S. policy related to the country. The Caribbean nation has been in turmoil since February 2004, when former president Jean-Bertrand Aris tide was ousted in a coup d’etat. The event is sponsored by the Uni versity’s Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics and the National Lawyers Guild. It is free and open to the public. — Ayisha Yahya Iraq delays announcement of final election results BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi officials said Wednesday they must recount votes from about 300 ballot boxes because of various discrepancies, delaying final results from the land mark national elections. Hundreds — perhaps thousands — of other ballots were declared invalid be cause of alleged tampering. Postelection violence mounted, raising fears that the Jan. 30 ballot ing had done little to ease the coun try’s grave security crisis. An American soldier was killed Wednesday and another wounded in an ambush north of the capital, the U.S. military said. Two other Ameri can soldiers died earlier in the week, the command said Wednesday. Gunmen ambushed a convoy of Kurdish party officials in Baghdad, killing one and wounding four. Offi cials had promised final results from the elections by Thursday, the end of the Iraqi work week. On Wednesday, however, election commission spokesman Farid Ayar said the deadline would not be met because of the recount. Saudis prepare for start of first nationwide elections RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Forty years ago, in municipal polls limit ed to big cities, a candidate would slaughter a few sheep, throw a din ner party in a tent to announce his candidacy and, on election day, drive supporters — some even with out identification — to write their names on his list. It will be a different story today, when Saudis in the Riyadh region vote in the country’s first nation wide elections. They will have reg istration cards, vote behind privacy curtains, drop ballots in boxes de signed according to international standards and choose among candi dates who ran Western-style cam paigns, including posters, phone text messages and newspaper ads. The first of the three-stage elec tions are for only half the country’s municipal councils, and women have been banned from voting and running. But it will be the first time Saudis will take part in a vote that conforms to international standards, offering them an opportunity to par ticipate in decision-making in this absolute monarchy. Routine AIDS testing urged for all Americans Urging a major shift in U.S. policy, some health experts are rec ommending that virtually all Ameri cans be tested routinely for the AIDS virus, much as they are for cancer and other diseases. Since the early years of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, the govern ment has recommended screening only in big cities, where AIDS rates are high, and among members of high-risk groups, such as gay men and drug addicts. — The Associated Press Enter the FREE Valentine’s Day Raffle at the UO Bookstore. Entries collected February 14 at 3 p.m. One lucky winner will receive: ■ Dinner for two at Marche Restaurant ■ A one-hour rental for two at Onsen Hot Tubs & Spas ■ Two tickets to Bijou Art Cinemas Winner announced on Monday, February 14 at 5 p.m. UNIVERSITY OF OREGON BOOKSTORE www.uobookstore.com pEC0V We’ll be at UO on... February 10, 2005 Broaden your horizons, learn a new language, become an integral member of a community, and challenge your comfort zone! Peace Corps is the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s a chance to make a difference, have an adventure, and gain valuable career skills. Find out more at the event below. Slide Show & Information Meeting Thursday, February 10 6:00 - 7:30 pm EMU - International Lounge www.peacecorps.gov -- 800.424.8580, opt. 1 ¥t NT